Chapter 146: Wei Xiaoping’s Dream Murmurs

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By now, dawn had fully broken, and all the soldiers in the camp were awake, buzzing with talk about the two strange three-headed hellhounds that had just appeared. News of the monstrous hellhounds spreading throughout the camp stirred all sorts of speculation among the troops—were these creatures sent by the Beast Demon Kingdom? Could they be spies dispatched to gather intelligence before an attack on the Qingfeng Kingdom? Such rumors flew about in hushed voices.

When Master Xuan Zhe and Huang Xianlin returned with the two hellhounds, a crowd immediately gathered around them, pointing and whispering about the terrifying beasts.

Master Xuan Zhe ordered Huang Xianlin to fetch an iron cage to confine the hellhounds and instructed everyone not to mistreat them. Then he headed toward Wei Xiaoping’s quarters.

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Inside Wei Xiaoping’s room.

At this moment, Wei Xiaoping was still in a dazed state, muttering incomprehensible names—some people’s names, some animals’—names that Zhang Xiaoyan and Da Huang couldn’t understand. Occasionally, he would stop and emit a low, sorrowful sob, sweat beads forming on his forehead.

Seeing this, Zhang Xiaoyan suspected he had a fever and immediately placed the back of her hand on his forehead.

Sure enough, Wei Xiaoping was burning up with a high fever.

Zhang Xiaoyan quickly took out the pill Master Xuan Zhe had given her before leaving and administered it to Wei Xiaoping.

After a short while, the trembling of Wei Xiaoping’s lips subsided, and his murmured words gradually faded away.

Seeing that he had calmed down, Zhang Xiaoyan took a towel, rolled it into a ball, and gently pressed it against his forehead, absorbing the sweat. She then sat beside the bed, scooping a small spoonful of the medicinal broth, softly blowing to cool it before carefully tilting the spoon to feed it into his mouth. Afterward, she wiped the remnants from the corners of his lips with the towel.

She tidied the blanket and his clothes, then brought a comb to gently smooth his disheveled hair until it shone.

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At that moment, Wei Xiaoping slowly opened his eyes, his gaze still somewhat vacant as he stared at the ceiling, then glanced around the room.

“Where am I?” Wei Xiaoping asked weakly.

Hearing his voice while combing his hair, Zhang Xiaoyan looked at him with a delighted expression.

“Brother Xiaoping, is that you speaking? Are you awake?” she asked, setting down the comb and taking his hand with joy.

“Who are you? Where am I? Somehow, this place feels familiar!” Wei Xiaoping replied.

Seeing him speak again, Zhang Xiaoyan exclaimed happily, “Brother Xiaoping, you’re finally awake! This is your home! I’m Yan’er!”

“My home? You’re called Yan’er?” Though still regaining full consciousness, Wei Xiaoping felt a vague familiarity with Zhang Xiaoyan and the surroundings but couldn’t recall where or when they had met. His fever lingered, sweat still beading on his forehead.

Zhang Xiaoyan gathered the towel again and pressed it on his forehead, wiping away the sweat.

As she did so, she said, “Yes, I’m Zhang Xiaoyan, your sister in martial cultivation since childhood. Don’t you remember? My father often calls me Yan’er. We’ve known each other since we were little, though we didn’t meet often due to our training, but every year we’d have several sessions practicing martial arts and spells together. Sometimes, we even visited each other’s homes to play. Remember? At first, you called me Zhang Xiaoyan, but when you came to my home and heard my father call me Yan’er, you said it was easier and more affectionate to call me that. Also, since you said you were older and wanted to be my brother, and I your sister, calling me Yan’er shows your tender care. Brother Xiaoping, do you remember now?”

“Zhang Xiaoyan?” Wei Xiaoping murmured, still somewhat confused.

In his mind, the name Zhang Xiaoyan felt familiar, as if he had seen it in a dream.

He searched his memory for the name he’d just seen in his dream and recalled not only the name Zhang Xiaoyan but also classmates like Wei Xiaofan and class monitor Zhang Liying, the two three-headed hellhounds Ma Laoda and Niu Dahua, and his sworn brother, the Ghost King Gaoyang. Gaoyang Ghost King? Yes! His newly sworn brother who had sacrificed himself to help him escape the Black River, devoured by the Wolf Lion Beast Ghost King... Gaoyang brother, Gaoyang brother, I’ve failed you, I’ve failed you...

Wei Xiaoping couldn’t help but cry out, his voice choked with sorrow.

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Seeing Wei Xiaoping calling out strange names and crying sadly, Zhang Xiaoyan thought perhaps he had dreamed of some disturbing and sorrowful events during his unconsciousness and was still partially trapped in that dreamlike state.

Grasping his shoulders with both hands and gazing at him with a motherly concern, she said, “Brother Xiaoping, are you still not fully awake? Please, wake up quickly. You’ve been asleep for three or four days and haven’t eaten much during that time!”

Half-dazed, Wei Xiaoping replied, “I can’t eat, I don’t want to eat. My brother Gaoyang was devoured by the Wolf Lion Beast Ghost King... sob sob sob... Brother Gaoyang, I’m sorry! We were mere acquaintances, yet you did so much for me, even sacrificing your ghostly life. How can I ever repay your kindness? How am I to live the rest of my days...?”

Watching his anguished expression, Zhang Xiaoyan immediately placed her left hand on his right wrist to check his pulse, seeking any abnormalities.

“Brother Xiaoping’s pulse is normal! His heartbeat is even healthier than that of ordinary people. Why then does his mood seem so unstable?” she wondered aloud as she felt his pulse.

At that moment, the door opened outside, and Master Xuan Zhe and Da Huang entered.

“Zhang Xiaoyan, how is Xiaoping? Has he improved at all?” Master Xuan Zhe asked, having predicted Wei Xiaoping would awaken today. Yet seeing him lying still on the bed, he was concerned.

“Brother Xiaoping’s pulse is better than normal, but he hasn’t fully come out of the coma. He’s still talking nonsense in his sleep,” Zhang Xiaoyan replied.

Master Xuan Zhe approached the bedside and observed Wei Xiaoping’s complexion.

Wei Xiaoping’s face had shifted from pale to a rosy flush, resembling the radiant complexion of a young beauty. However, inexplicably, his expression occasionally flickered with unstable emotions as he uttered incomprehensible words.

Listening carefully, Master Xuan Zhe heard Wei Xiaoping muttering like a dreamer, “Ma Laoda, Niu Dahua, where have you gone? Lord Yama, where is he? He sent us back, but before we could thank him, he disappeared! Ma Laoda, Niu Dahua, where are you? Where did you go? — You two three-headed hellhounds, where are you? If you don’t come out, I’ll start chanting spells!…”